Workmen's advocate. (New Haven, Conn.) 1883-1891, 1887-10-08
A LONDON LETTER.
PROGRESS OF THE ENGLISH
TRADES UNIONS.
They Go In For Independent Politics.
Demand the Naturalization of
Land-"S0cialism Has Lost
Its TcrrOrs" Poll.
ticians Wild.

LONDON, Sept. l6.-Social- Demo-
Gratis have good reason to be satisfied
with the result of the Trade Union
Congress which finished its sitting
at Swansea on Saturday last. The
deliberations of the Congress show
a marked advance on those of last
year. Resolutions in favor of the
holding of an International Trade
Union Congress in London, next
year, Of the naturalization of the
soil, and Of the formation of an in
dependent Labor Party as against
the existing middle-class political
parties, have been carried by the
delegates, much against the wishes
and influence of many Of the Trade
Union officials, who have degener-
ated into mere hangers-on of the
Liberal Party. The capitalist press
are furious at the result. They see
clearly that if the English Trade
Unionists are moving along the line
which will inevitably lead them to
Socirl- Democracy, they can no longer
bs reckoned upon as conservative
force in any revolutionary period.
Such sentiments as those expressed
by VIM. W. Bevan, the president of
the Trade Union Congress, ridicul-
ing the "bogey of Continental So
ciallsm" and boldly proclaiming that
]. Socialism has lost it's terrors for
them," are enough to strike terror
into the breasts of the wire-pullers
of the Liberal Party, who have al
ways counted on the Trade Unionists
to form the rank and file of their
Party at election times. Moreover,
and Of this the exploiters are fully
aware, an international Trade Union
Congress in London will bring to
the British Metropolis Social Demo-
Gratis from all parts of the world,
which cannot fail to strengthen So
cial- Democracy here and drive the
more advanced of the Trade Union
lists into our ranks. The Social
Democrats look upon the holding of
an international Congress here as of
so much Importance that had the
Swansea Congress decided against it
the Social Democratic Federation
would have called one together.
That the Trade Unionists should
have taken such an important step
in the right direction is really a
great victory for the cial-Demo-
Gratis, as it is undoubtedly due to
their constant agitation that the bar
riers of national feeling and race
prejudice which have so long stood
in the way of a thorough understand
ing between the workers of Great
Britain and their continental fellows
are gradually being removed.
1T is becoming more and more
clear every day that the struggle of
the future will be between the con-
servatives, the party of reaction, and
the Social democrats, the party of
real progress. The Liberal and
Radical politicians are doomed: their
half f-hearted policy and tactics arouse
no enthusiasm. Here is an instance:
On Sunday, August l4th, the Social
Democratic Federation held dem
onstration in Trafalgar Square to
protest against the imprisonment of
one of their members named Pole,
for an alleged assault on policeman
of which offense he was entirely in
nocent. About 10000 persons at
tended. On Saturday, August 27th,
the Liberals and Radicals held a
demonstration to protest against the
proclamation of the Irish National
League. The meeting was thor
ough "fizzle." There were only be-
tween 5000 and 1000 people present.
Why was this? On the one side
demonstration to protest against the
Imprisonment of one who was utter
ly unknown to the public; on the
other side demonstration called to
protest against one the most tyran-